(edit title) Accountant in Sweden Any courses in English? Options

[Gabi.T]

Hej,

My wife was an accountant before moving to Sweden with 5 years of work experience. She wants to continue this kind of job here and become a Revisor.
All of her studies were recognized by Högskoleverket at a masters level but in order to start practicing accounting in Sweden it seems she needs to get up to date with the swedish system (taxes, laws and so on). She contacted Revisorsnämnden and they told her to join some course at Stockholm University but unfortunately those are in swedish only. She know a little swedish as she is at D level at SFI but it's not enough to follow a full course and she doesn't want to wait until she finishes SAS in order to be able to go to university.

My question is: does anybody know some courses in english (state or private) that can help her to get up to date with swedish system? Also any other advice on who she can contact or what she could do will be greatly appreciated !

Thank you !

[Furu]

You can ask the regulating body if she needs to do a co-op term as well. If they yes, you can ask an Accounting company to hire her as a Trainee.

I have not come across any accounting based study in Sweden conducted in English, specially if you want to be a Revisor or Auktorised Revisor.

[skane refugee]

wish your wife the best of luck ... but don't understand why learning in Swedish is an issue if she wants to practice as an auditor here ... she will obviously need to be fluent in the language to be an effective auditor ... particularly for small and medium sized companies

I'm not an auditor, but I advise companies at a strategic level here and although some will accept written reports in English it is ESSENTIAL that I can read source documentation including financial statements and management accounts in Swedish.

In discussions my clients split between those who are comfortable to talk in English and those who talk in Swedish ... BUT ... even the comfortable English speakers will often want to include other local advisors or more junior staff in meetings and revert to Swedish at times ...

As an auditor trying to discover frauds and errors by junior or senior client staff ... who naturally won't want these issues found ... least of all by a foreigner ... I'd imagine that an even higher degree of Swedish is needed than just conversational fluency ...

If so learning/conversion in Swedish would surely be better than trying to learn in English?

Hope she succeeds either way!

[Puffin]

I am a UK accountant and there is really no easy shortcut but to learn Swedish if you want to get an auditing licence or work in a Swedish speaking office.

In order to be recognised in Sweden she would need to take Revisornämnden test for foreign accountants - the test is held once each year in October and costs 16,000 kronor to take the test
http://www.revisorsnamnden.se/rn/english/examination.html

You have to have Swedish as the Revisor test to become authorised in Sweden is held in Swedish only. There are courses like the one you have found - however usually you will need Gymnasiet Svenska B to go on the course which would usually take 12-18 months from completing SFI D at komvux.

The job market in finance and accounting is not great at the moment - there are a few things she could try:
- The other option would be to try to find a job in an international firm with English as a corporate language which would accept her qualifications.
- Or another option is to take a step backwards and apply for jobs in bookeeping or as an audit assistant until her Swedish is up to speed.

I never took the test as I was unable to study in Stockholm fulltime - so do not hold a Swedish authorisation - I decided to retrain for a new career and am currently taking a PhD

[Gabi.T]

wish your wife the best of luck ... but don't understand why learning in Swedish is an issue if she wants to practice as an auditor here ... she will obviously need to be ... (show full quote)

wish your wife the best of luck ... but don't understand why learning in Swedish is an issue if she wants to practice as an auditor here ... she will obviously need to be fluent in the language to be an effective auditor ... particularly for small and medium sized companies

I'm not an auditor, but I advise companies at a strategic level here and although some will accept written reports in English it is ESSENTIAL that I can read source documentation including financial statements and management accounts in Swedish.

In discussions my clients split between those who are comfortable to talk in English and those who talk in Swedish ... BUT ... even the comfortable English speakers will often want to include other local advisors or more junior staff in meetings and revert to Swedish at times ...

As an auditor trying to discover frauds and errors by junior or senior client staff ... who naturally won't want these issues found ... least of all by a foreigner ... I'd imagine that an even higher degree of Swedish is needed than just conversational fluency ...

If so learning/conversion in Swedish would surely be better than trying to learn in English?

Hope she succeeds either way! ... (hide full quote)

Yes, I agree that learning swedish is THE WAY, just that she wanted to start doing her job while learning the language and the only way to do that is to get up to date with the swedish laws and tax system but as she doesn't speak swedish very well she wanted some courses in english. So it's just a matter of not waiting 1,5 years to finish learning swedish.

[Gabi.T]

I am a UK accountant and there is really no easy shortcut but to learn Swedish if you want to get an auditing licence or work in a Swedish speaking office. In order to be reco ... (show full quote)

I am a UK accountant and there is really no easy shortcut but to learn Swedish if you want to get an auditing licence or work in a Swedish speaking office.

In order to be recognised in Sweden she would need to take Revisornämnden test for foreign accountants - the test is held once each year in October and costs 16,000 kronor to take the test
http://www.revisorsnamnden.se/rn/english/examination.html

You have to have Swedish as the Revisor test to become authorised in Sweden is held in Swedish only. There are courses like the one you have found - however usually you will need Gymnasiet Svenska B to go on the course which would usually take 12-18 months from completing SFI D at komvux.

The job market in finance and accounting is not great at the moment - there are a few things she could try:
- The other option would be to try to find a job in an international firm with English as a corporate language which would accept her qualifications.
- Or another option is to take a step backwards and apply for jobs in bookeeping or as an audit assistant until her Swedish is up to speed.

I never took the test as I was unable to study in Stockholm fulltime - so do not hold a Swedish authorisation - I decided to retrain for a new career and am currently taking a PhD ... (hide full quote)

Thank you for your insight on this issue. She already considered those two options but she didn't manage to get a job until know. Maybe she will have more luck in the future.

Good luck with your PhD.

[skane refugee]

Yes, I agree that learning swedish is THE WAY, just that she wanted to start doing her job while learning the language and the only way to do that is to get up to date with th ... (show full quote)

Yes, I agree that learning swedish is THE WAY, just that she wanted to start doing her job while learning the language and the only way to do that is to get up to date with the swedish laws and tax system but as she doesn't speak swedish very well she wanted some courses in english. So it's just a matter of not waiting 1,5 years to finish learning swedish. ... (hide full quote)

Probably not what you want to hear Gabi.T ... but this hits the nail on the head ...

... the time lag (1.5 years for language training is just the start of the process sadly) is why Sweden (apart from war zones and failed states) is probably one of the last choices of country to emigrate to for a qualified or near qualified UK accountant who effectively goes back to school in an obscure language for many years with absolutely no guarantee of a job at the end of the process

Much better off choosing commonwealth countries, eastern europe, Asia, USA or even south America where UK qualifications carry impressive weight internationally and language won't necessarily be such a barrier (or would be negated by local assistants bridging the gap)

Puffin (correct me if I'm wrong on this point - if so apologies Puffin :-) ) is a qualified or near qualified UK chartered accountant (ACCA) - she is as knowledgeable on converting accounting qualifications as any on this forum - if she says there aren't shortcuts ... there probably aren't :-(

Hope your wife finds a way to work and study here ... if so please post the secret ... there's a small army of expats in a similar situation praying for a way out of the 'Swedish quicksands' ;o)

Good luck with whatever you and she decide!

[Gabi.T]

I agree that getting a job here is pretty difficult but not impossible. I've been in Sweden since may 2009 and I started in autumn to look for a job. I didn't manage to obtain a similar position to what I've used to work (import manager) and mostly because of the lack of swedish skills. But i did manage to get a half time job in a similar field and I have prospects of getting a full time job soon. If not maybe I will start my own company. I think the best way is to never give up, start fresh after each rejection and carry on.

As for choosing commonwealth countries, eastern europe, Asia and USA... the topic is too large and will change the theme of this thread. I agree that maybe there are some countries which maybe are more friendly and have more jobs, but I don't think Sweden is the worst. Not by far. I come from a eastern europe country (Romania) and the situation there is not so great... Actually that is the reason I moved here although I did pretty good there (nice apartment, nice car, good job). But there is more to life than just that.

I think the baddest things in Sweden are the weather, lack of jobs, and lack of human contact which here it has been replaced by letters, notices and emails. This is my opinion but maybe it's subjective and my experience in this country is not so large.

Anyway, thank you for sharing your opinion, and although it may sound bad, I hope you are wrong.

[skane refugee]

I was only referring to near qualified and qualified UK accountants looking to pursue a similar career in Sweden Gabi.T (i.e. your wife, the subject of your original post)

... none of my comments are necessarily relevant to you as an 'import manager' for whom completely different observations probably apply

Puffin has elected to study for a Phd in Sweden with a view to a complete career change ... this may well be your wifes best option in Sweden

Swedes respect Swedish qualifications and fluent Swedish in the job market - foreign professional qualifications are heavily discounted apart from a few expat employment hotspots like IT and academia for example

There must be a hundred plus countries where UK accounting experience is valued and respected ... sadly Sweden isn't one of them

again best of luck to both of you!

[Gabi.T]

Indeed you are right, you were only talking about UK accountants, but i just wanted to state that is not impossible to find a job.

Although my wife's first decision was to change careers, I advised her to stick to accounting because accounting is a very stable, easy and good pay job in Sweden. Together we took the decision based on what information we could find about this kind of job.

Regarding Puffin's decision to change career I think it's his/her personal decision and it not should be taken as a standard.

I still think that after learning the language or at least a conversation level, an accountant with a bit of background experience will be able to get a job. I personally know a few persons with nothing but high-school education who have join accounting courses and after 2 years got a pretty good job (35.000 kr net pay) doing a 9 to 16 job. If anybody knows otherwise please state your experience.

Thank you

[*Guest*]

Hello, does anyone know what is the institution that recognise the university diploma for the economists? I just arrived in Sweden and I will like to have a distance MBA and I do not know what are the stept and the requirements. Has anyone been in this process?

[Gabi.T]

Hello, does anyone know what is the institution that recognise the university diploma for the economists? I just arrived in Sweden and I will like to have a distance MBA and I ... (show full quote)

Hello, does anyone know what is the institution that recognise the university diploma for the economists? I just arrived in Sweden and I will like to have a distance MBA and I do not know what are the stept and the requirements. Has anyone been in this process? ... (hide full quote)

That will be Högskoleverket. Their website is www.hsv.se
You can find all information there, but please keep in mind that it takes between 4 and 6 months to get your degree evaluated.

If you need to study further in Sweden than I advise you to contact VHS – Verket för högskoleservice (www.vhs.se). They will make an evaluation of your high school diploma, I am not sure they deal with University degrees.

Good luck !

[Hanna Denize]

Hi
Your wife could register with Arbetsförmedligen and ask them to refer her to Korta Vägen course. It is a course for professional immigrants with SFI D level. It includes three months of intensive language studies (from 9 till 16) and at least three months of work experience in the profession. There is a small chance that she could be offered a job at the end of her work experience.